Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hopeful of long-term deal for TfL

The Mayor of London says the relationship between City Hall and the government has changed for the better.

Sadiq Khan was speaking at the official opening of the Siemens Mobility train factory in Goole (East Yorkshire), where 80% of the new Piccadilly Line trains for London Underground will be assembled.

“In three months, we have seen them give the green light to 350 homes at Cockfosters, the green light to Oxford Street being regenerated, and here you have a £2.9 billon investment with trains coming to London next year,” said Khan.

“If the first three months are anything to go by, I’m hopeful this government understands what’s being invested in our capital.

“I hope we get a long-term deal, and I’m hoping this factory will also build the new Bakerloo Line trains.

Transport for London Commissioner Andy Lord thinks a long-term funding deal is critical: “We have been living on short-term funding arrangements. The existing capital funding deal expires at the end of this financial year, so the end of March 2025.

“We only got half of what we asked for from the last government, so I’m hoping with a new government, where there have been positive discussions, that long-term capital funding similar to National Highways and Network Rail gives TfL the certainty it needs for renewals and investment. It’s critical we agree that as soon as we can.”

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh was upbeat in her speech at the opening of the Goole factory.

She said: “Transport is absolutely mission-critical. There hasn’t been the clarity needed from government, or the certainty on future enhancements or rolling stock.

“It left much of the supply chain unable to plan, unable to invest, unable to train existing workers and hire new ones.”

Asked if she had a long-term funding plan in place for TfL, Haigh replied: “We will be looking to do that through the Spending Review.

“It’s really important that areas like London, just like our mayoral authorities across the country, have that long-term stability so that they can plan and crucially bring down costs. The stop-starts that have plagued the industry have added real uncertainty and real costs to the taxpayer.”

Some of the structures being replaced are up to 80 years old. And the cramped relay room at Victoria, described as the size of a small supermarket, will be replaced by equipment that only needs the space of two fridge freezers.

Stations losing their Thameslink services are Tulse Hill, Streatham, Mitcham Eastfields, Mitcham Junction, Hackbridge, Carshalton, Sutton, West Sutton, Sutton Common, St Helier, Morden South, South Merton, Wimbledon Chase, Wimbledon, Haydens Road, and Tooting.

Southern stations shut for a week from October 26 will be South Bermondsey, Queens Road Peckham, Peckham Rye, East Dulwich, North Dulwich, Tulse Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace, Birkbeck, and Beckenham Junction.

London Overground stations without a service are Queens Road Peckham, Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill, Clapham High Street, and Wandsworth Road.